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Possible Explanations for Inconsistencies in Case

I just got finished reading the entirety of the 13-page "Darlie Supporters and Darin Routier" and was once again reminded of some of the oddities about the events of that night. While reading everything, my mind started piecing together some of the oddities and came up the following possible explanation. I thought I would run it by you seasoned Darlie experts to see where the holes are (and I have a feeling there are many!).

Ignoring everything that happened prior to this point, my scenario begins as follows: Darlie thinks she has killed the two boys, goes about her other duties like possibly planting the sock, cutting the screen, etc., and then heads to the sink to cut her own neck. After cutting herself, she decides she needs to now head back over to the couch to lay down, since the story she's created involves her being attacked on the couch. On her way to the couch, from the kitchen, Darlie discovers that Damon is not yet dead. She panics and then starts struggling with him, is holding him down with her right arm and reaches for the knife with her left hand and begins stabbing him again. The only problem is, she isn't as handy with the knife in her left hand and accidentally stabs herself pretty deeply in the forearm (possibly to the bone, although reports seem to vary on this), at which point the unexpected pain causes her to scream out in agony. The scream awakens Darin, who comes flying downstairs in the nude. Upon realizing Darin is downstairs, Darlie quickly drops the knife on the carpet and acts like she's just discovered this gruesome scene herself. Darin sees Devon (but not Damon), quickly assesses that something heinous has just happened, and tells Darlie to call 911. At that point, Darin runs back upstairs to put on his pants, not wanting the police or paramedics to see him in the nude, and then runs back downstairs to help until the police, etc., arrive.

What could this possible scenario answer:

(1) Why were there two different stories on whether Darin was nude or wearing pants when he came downstairs.

(2) How did Darlie get the deep wound on her right arm.

(3) Why was Damon still alive when paramedics arrived

(4) How did the knife outline get on the carpet

(5) Why did Darin sound more visibly shaken on the 911 call, when Darlie only sounded hysterical in a phony way

(6) Why did Darlie not kill Damon before cutting herself.

(7) Why did Darlie stay away from Damon while awaiting the police.

(8) What awakened Darin.

(9) Why do we possibly hear Darin coming down the stairs in the 911 call.

IF, and obviously that's a big if, any of the above could be true, it would also explain why Darin is truly and visibly upset during the events that night but then pretty quickly (hours?) goes into defense of Darlie. In the beginning Darin would only have been operating out of pure shock at seeing the "killing field" and carnage that awaited him when he got downstairs. However, later, as he sat on the curb and even later saw Darlie still alive at the hospital, with varying degrees of superficial wounds and possibly life-threatening wounds, Darin could have realized Darlie was probably involved. At that point, I would imagine Darin went back to earlier events of that night, where there may have been a fight between them (there are so many reports of what went on that night prior to the murders that I truly don't know which one to pick... but for the sake of this story, I've picked the one where Darlie asks for a separation). Darin remembers Darlie saying she's going to leave him, and Darin, tired of all of Darlie's hysterical pronouncements, tells her that's fine... go ahead and leave me. Darlie, shocked at Darin actually saying it's okay for her to leave, has to up the ante so now says, "and I'll take the boys with me and you'll never see them again". Darin says there's no way she can keep the boys from her and storms off to bed angry and tired of all the fighting. As Darin remembers all of this, guilt starts to set in... and he remembers other recent events, like the recent time he came home from work and Darlie told him she wanted to kill herself, and he's reminded of how down and depressed she's been, etc. Darin feels like he's somehow contributed to what happened that night and makes a decision to defend her even though he knows she's most likely involved. At this point, though, he's already lost 2 sons... and the prospect of also losing his wife, and the mother of his remaining child, seems more than he can bear. So at that point, in his definitely scattered psyche, he makes a decision to defend her. From that point forward, the ball moves quickly and stories have to change on a dime to make everything work.

Once upon a time I would have taken a great deal of time trying to answer this post! LOL Don't have that kinda time now and my givachitter is broken. So, I'll bottom line it for you:

The truth doesn't have versions and you don't have to have a good memory unless you're telling lies.

Its been plain since day one that Darlie (and Darin) have lied about just about everything from the state of their marriage to their finances to the events of that night. The only reason to lie about something is if you're guilty. The overwhelming evidence in this case tells the truth that Darlie and Darin won't tell. She's where she needs to be. He'll pay for what he's done too - maybe just not in this lifetime.

I agree with everything you said, Jeana! Once you start hearing the lies, everything you need to know is in front of you, so to speak.

And I certainly understand your givachitter being broken! I almost didn't bother with this thread because the crime happened so many years ago (9 years), and it's been tossed around endlessly, but I had so many unanswered questions late last night when I finished reading the 13 pages that I said I could do this thread today, if it was still on my mind.

I would have loved hearing your input because, after reading the 13 pages, you and some of the others had such incredible feedback and answers for RStJ that I was most impressed! But thanks for stopping in and at least offering your great sentence on truth and versions and memory and lies... that's a keeper! And, since I do think she's the one who committed the murders, and she's on Death Row, then justice has indeed been served. I would still love to know what really happened that night but, IMO, they both have too much at stake to ever tell the truth so I guess we'll never know.

[font=Arial][size=2]Ignoring everything that happened prior to this point, my scenario begins as follows: Darlie thinks she has killed the two boys, goes about her other duties like possibly planting the sock, cutting the screen, etc., and then heads to the sink to cut her own neck. After cutting herself, she decides she needs to now head back over to the couch to lay down, since the story she's created involves her being attacked on the couch. On her way to the couch, from the kitchen, Darlie discovers that Damon is not yet dead. She panics and then starts struggling with him, is holding him down with her right arm and reaches for the knife with her left hand and begins stabbing him again. The only problem is, she isn't as handy with the knife in her left hand and accidentally stabs herself pretty deeply in the forearm (possibly to the bone, although reports seem to vary on this), at which point the unexpected pain causes her to scream out in agony. The scream awakens Darin, who comes flying downstairs in the nude. Upon realizing Darin is downstairs, Darlie quickly drops the knife on the carpet and acts like she's just discovered this gruesome scene herself. Darin sees Devon (but not Damon), quickly assesses that something heinous has just happened, and tells Darlie to call 911. At that point, Darin runs back upstairs to put on his pants, not wanting the police or paramedics to see him in the nude, and then runs back downstairs to help until the police, etc., arrive.

I also don't have a lot of time to reply at the moment but a couple of quick things.

Off the top of my head I don't see anything in the scenario above which could have been contradicted by the evidence itself- with the exception of
1) the knife impression/imprint showed that it had been held point downward long enough for blood to pool there before it was put down.
2) the knife had to end up on the countertop

Also, not sure how to take into account Darin's testimony but at trial he admantly denies being naked downstairs.

IF, and obviously that's a big if, any of the above could be true, it would also explain why Darin is truly and visibly upset during the events that night but then pretty quickly (hours?) goes into defense of Darlie. In the beginning Darin would only have been operating out of pure shock at seeing the "killing field" and carnage that awaited him when he got downstairs. However, later, as he sat on the curb and even later saw Darlie still alive at the hospital, with varying degrees of superficial wounds and possibly life-threatening wounds, Darin could have realized Darlie was probably involved. At that point, I would imagine Darin went back to earlier events of that night, where there may have been a fight between them (there are so many reports of what went on that night prior to the murders that I truly don't know which one to pick... but for the sake of this story, I've picked the one where Darlie asks for a separation). Darin remembers Darlie saying she's going to leave him, and Darin, tired of all of Darlie's hysterical pronouncements, tells her that's fine... go ahead and leave me. Darlie, shocked at Darin actually saying it's okay for her to leave, has to up the ante so now says, "and I'll take the boys with me and you'll never see them again". Darin says there's no way she can keep the boys from her and storms off to bed angry and tired of all the fighting. As Darin remembers all of this, guilt starts to set in... and he remembers other recent events, like the recent time he came home from work and Darlie told him she wanted to kill herself, and he's reminded of how down and depressed she's been, etc. Darin feels like he's somehow contributed to what happened that night and makes a decision to defend her even though he knows she's most likely involved. At this point, though, he's already lost 2 sons... and the prospect of also losing his wife, and the mother of his remaining child, seems more than he can bear. So at that point, in his definitely scattered psyche, he makes a decision to defend her. From that point forward, the ball moves quickly and stories have to change on a dime to make everything work.

I'm still of the mind that it is unlikely that Darin would have just changed his mind 'on a dime' (as goody says) and decide to defend the woman who had just murdered his kids- especially from a state of panic and shock like he was in. IF it did happen like that then I would expect that as the arrest happened and the trial took place Darin's feelings of guilt would receed in the face of Darlie's callousness. I still just don't see it. But I do think he covered for her as best he could - because he truly wanted to believe she was innocent.

The only thing I have to contribute is that the knife imprint was not near Damon's body location (where he died). So I think the knife imprint needs to be made sooner than you have it as would the wound to her arm since it is what supplied the blood to make the imprint. Also, let's not forget the bloody fingerprint on the end table behind the couch. She must have braced herself on that table somehow during the killings.

"The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense." -Tom Clancy

I also don't have a lot of time to reply at the moment but a couple of quick things.

Off the top of my head I don't see anything in the scenario above which could have been contradicted by the evidence itself- with the exception of
1) the knife impression/imprint showed that it had been held point downward long enough for blood to pool there before it was put down.
2) the knife had to end up on the countertop

Also, not sure how to take into account Darin's testimony but at trial he admantly denies being naked downstairs.

I'm still of the mind that it is unlikely that Darin would have just changed his mind 'on a dime' (as goody says) and decide to defend the woman who had just murdered his kids- especially from a state of panic and shock like he was in. IF it did happen like that then I would expect that as the arrest happened and the trial took place Darin's feelings of guilt would receed in the face of Darlie's callousness. I still just don't see it. But I do think he covered for her as best he could - because he truly wanted to believe she was innocent.

I've stayed right out of these discussions as i don't know what to think of Darin. I had that vision one time that he came downstairs and he caught her at it but that was just a dream. Then there was the dream about the coat being thrown over me from behind. Could that symbolize Darin's hiding his head in the sand about Darlie's involvement I thought.

In the past few days listening once again to that 911 call, I hear Darin's shock and panic that you refer to. It doesn't help me though, I still don't know if he sussed her out right away or if he gradually came to the realization that Darlie did this and by the time of the trial he had decided to help her/lie for her.

I don't believe Darin had anything to do with that night. I think Darlie did the entire thing all alone. She had ample time. I think Darin probably had plenty of "scams" that Darlie, et al could have nailed him for. Maybe they convinced him that Drake needed at least his father and I think that Darlie's family overwhelmed Darin and he doesn't have the spine to stand up for himself. I believe the combination of the two are what keeps his lips shut.

Beesy darlin, I realize that this case, especially after listening to the 911 tape over and over, its emotionally draining. However, I would seriously appreciate it if you wouldn't ever think that any of us regulars on this forum could possibly forget what those two beautiful boys went through. Quite frankly, its insulting.

Because I think "it's his only crime" as it relates to this crime. That's not to say he hasn't done other things that Darlie can hold over his head. Maybe it's buying and selling drugs, or maybe it's stealing from his clients, or who knows what. I think Darlie is holding something over him but I don't really have a clue what. I could also be totally wrong... it's just my opinion.

I don't believe Darin had anything to do with that night. I think Darlie did the entire thing all alone. She had ample time. I think Darin probably had plenty of "scams" that Darlie, et al could have nailed him for. Maybe they convinced him that Drake needed at least his father and I think that Darlie's family overwhelmed Darin and he doesn't have the spine to stand up for himself. I believe the combination of the two are what keeps his lips shut.

Good point about him being overwhelmed by the family... including his own when you look at Sarilda's involvement.

[b][color=darkred]Then why is Darin covering for her if that's his only crime? Why did he allow Damon to die? He had 15 mins. or so, maybe more, to figure out Devon was really dead, but that Damon was still barely hanging on.

No he didn't Beesy - he had around 5 minutes maximum before the paramedics arrived. He says he treated Devon for 2-4 of those minutes. He also claims to have gone to Damon (conflicting stories what he did there) and to have gone upstairs all before Waddell arrived at 3 minutes into the call. He went to Devon because he thought it was Devon who was injured when he first came down. Where did you get the 15 minutes from?

Darin's excuse is that he ran to get Karen, the nurse. I think he was caught outside(Goody's theory) so had to say something about Karen.

Well with all due respect to you and Goody I just don't see any evidence for that (let alone the time for him to do it between his voice stamps on 911).

When he actually did go get her, he didn't need a nurse. I know what was said in testimony. Actually that backs up my theory. If he ran to get them for comfort or to help with the baby, I would feel ok about it. Karen ended up taking care of that rat-like dog and Drake.

If you haven't read my replies to Goody in the last few days please do so. There was ample reason for Darin to want Karen on the scene when he did.

Terry ended up driving Darin to the hospital, not much nursey stuff there.

Terry is not a nurse. I don't get your point here?

Why didn't either of Damon's parents hold him as died? Even if there was nothing they could do to save him, why did they let him just lie there? He lived about 8-9 mins after the fatal wound, that's a loooooong time to lie there and not be hugged. Darin likes to say that because the EMTs were there, he assumed they were helping Damon. The medics did NOT get there until after Darlie finally got off the bloody phone(5:39). There was lots of time after the fatal wound for his parents to help him. That alone is more of an issue than many of the other things. You cannot overlook that.

You are entirely justified saying that about Darlie but I don't know how you can say it about Darin. Darin has come downstairs and all everything he learns about what has happened is by listening to Darlie on the 911 call. If you listen to the call Darlie makes it clear at times Damon is alive- even if just barely. Darin on the other hand can't get a pulse out of Devon. If you have one child who IS alive and one who isn't which one are you going to try and revive? Especially when you think you have a wife who is going to aid the other one (even if she doesn't do that ultimately). If Darin had simply shrugged his shoulders about Devon and gone over to Damon we'd all be yelling 'why didn't you try and revive Devon! He was dead! Damon was alive!".

Could you stand there screaming like a banshee about your now barely bleeding throat and NOT hold your child? Even if that's all they did, that is plenty for me to see their guilt!

No- there is plenty to see HER guilt. The evidence tells us that. There is no physical evidence at all that puts the knife in Darin's hand or has him as a accomplice in this. The only speculation you can make is because of his contradicting testimony.

If Darin was just covering for Darlie, he would have done more for Damon. The time period that they had to just comfort him was way too long to be ignored. It upsets me that ya'll think all Darin did was cover for her. You're not factoring in the time zone that Damon had to have been stabbed the last time after Darin came down because that poor child lived for all those mins.

No Bessy he didn't. Damon could have lived for 8-9 minutes from the fatal wounds. Put 6 minutes into the 911 call and the arrival of the paramedics and you have 2-3 minutes BEFORE Darin came down when Damon could have received the fatal stabs.

I understand your emotional reaction to all of this- we would all be blocks of stone if at times we didn't weep for those boys. But you need to get your evidence and chronology right and don't assume that those of us who believe Darin was innocent of any part IN the crime don't realise the horror of what happened, or take it seriously. And please don't also forget that whilst Damon was murdered so was little Devon. He had just as much right to be held and cared for as Damon.

And, while Darin was supposedly "covered" in blood . . .
Darlie only had a few drops.
I tend to believe someone trying to help the boys would have been covered.
Its always been a HUGE sticking point with me that she didn't have more blood on her.

And, while Darin was supposedly "covered" in blood . . .
Darlie only had a few drops.
I tend to believe someone trying to help the boys would have been covered.
Its always been a HUGE sticking point with me that she didn't have more blood on her.

It's always been a big sticking point for me, too, DP. While Darlie had a lot of blood on her shirt, it was almost all her own (except for those pesky little ones on the shoulder & back area). Had she held those boys, tried to comfort them, tried to put pressure on their wounds, their blood would have been present on the body of her shirt.

I believe they took around 25 samples from the front of her t-shirt, and none of them belonged to the boys. The Darlies say they should have tested every millimeter of blood on it, as well as every millimeter of blood in the entire house. I say...if they did that, Darlie would still be sitting in a Dallas jail, plotting revenge because her right to a speedy trial was violated.